VIA Energy Forum conducted an important meeting today at VIA Auditorium as well as virtually on energy related points. R B Goenka, Vice President – VIA, Prashant Mohota, Chairman of VIA Energy Forum and Ashish Chandarana elaborated the energy related issues and legal matters, which is going on in different forums along with matters to be taken up with different authorities including Government of Maharashtra and MERC.
Impact of new GR of Government of Maharashtra with respect to Vidarbha-Marathwada Subsidy which has reduced the subsidy almost 50% from the previous GR from the time of Fadnavis Government. VIA has submitted representation to the Dy Chief Minister of Maharashtra for withdrawal of current GR and implementation of repealed GR. He promised to take positive actions on this representation.
Recently MERC issued new regulation with respect to Security deposit of consumers and asked consumers to make payment of Security deposit (SD) equivalent to two months of energy charges, which was of one month in previous regulation. A petition has been filed with MERC to remove the difficulties faced by big consumers and causing heavy burden on their finances. It is requested in the petition to implement the previous regulations. The case has been admitted by the Commission and soon it will be heard. Prepaid meter option issue also discussed to avoid the heavy burden of Security Deposit.
Suggestions were made to improve load factor and request MERC to implement previous rogations, which was applicable at the Covid time in which the change in contract demand was applied within 3 working days.
Recently a petition has been filed in the MERC in regard to Solar and Green power open access policy for removing the hindrances in the regulations so that the target of Central Government 500 GW of non-conventional energy generation upto year 2030 can be met.
The different legal cases with respect to the power sector are going with different forums including the High Court was also elaborated.
Large number of prominent industries attended the meeting physically and virtually. VIA President Vishal Agrawal, Hon. Secretary Ashish Doshi, Pravin Tapadia, Past President VIA, Rakesh Surana, President – VPIA, Kaushal Mohta, Truform Techno Products Ltd, Saurabh Agrawal from Sanvijay Group, Manoj Maheshwari from Shree Steel Castings and Vaibhav Agrawal from Plasto were prominently present.